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The Tiny Star
A beautiful and gentle story about life and death from beloved author Mem Fox, illustrated by rising star Freya Blackwood; its star imagery, and sense of rebirth make it a perfect choice for the holiday season.
In this touching and timeless story, a star falls to earth where it becomes a baby and is embraced and cared for by the community. Renowned author Mem Fox's tender text about the journey of life is beautifully rendered by Freya Blackwood whose luminous illustrations capture the warmth and complexity of growing up. This a unique and moving story to be cherished by all ages and shared for generations to come.
Mem Fox's books are like a warm blanket; they have a way of making the world seem a little cosier. --Sunday Age (Australia)
In this touching and timeless story, a star falls to earth where it becomes a baby and is embraced and cared for by the community. Renowned author Mem Fox's tender text about the journey of life is beautifully rendered by Freya Blackwood whose luminous illustrations capture the warmth and complexity of growing up. This a unique and moving story to be cherished by all ages and shared for generations to come.
Mem Fox's books are like a warm blanket; they have a way of making the world seem a little cosier. --Sunday Age (Australia)
40 pages, Library Binding
First published October 1, 2019
2 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
About the author
Mem Fox
126 books426 followersMerrion Frances Fox is an Australian writer of children's books and an educationalist specialising in literacy. Fox has been semi-retired since 1996, but she still gives seminars and lives in Adelaide, South Australia.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 57 reviews
December 6, 2021
Featured in a grandma reads session.
Truly a circle of life story, from star dust to star dust. My kiddos were interested in the change of path the story seemed to take, although it was just a change of expectations that we had, really. We thought this is a sort of Christmas tale, but then realized it was not. Once that settled in we were on board for the message of the coming-and-going of humanity on and off the stage of life. It felt very Shakespeare-y.
We are fans of the bard and so liked that quite a bit.
Truly a circle of life story, from star dust to star dust. My kiddos were interested in the change of path the story seemed to take, although it was just a change of expectations that we had, really. We thought this is a sort of Christmas tale, but then realized it was not. Once that settled in we were on board for the message of the coming-and-going of humanity on and off the stage of life. It felt very Shakespeare-y.
We are fans of the bard and so liked that quite a bit.
January 14, 2022
I wasn't expecting anything more than a sweet welcome to a new baby. This had a rather broader scope that got me. Poignancy was not expected.
The illustrations are lovely and add quite a bit to the sum. So this is more like 6/5. Kids reaction I can't predict, but I expect a lot of adults to love it.
Library copy
The illustrations are lovely and add quite a bit to the sum. So this is more like 6/5. Kids reaction I can't predict, but I expect a lot of adults to love it.
Library copy
October 23, 2019
Author: Mem Fox
Illustrator: Freya Blackwood
Age Recommendation: Early Primary
Art Style: Sketchy coloured illustrations.
Topic/ Theme: Life and Death
Setting: Everywhere and Nowhere
I went looking for Tiny Star after seeing an interview with Mem Fox in which she was saying that everyone needs a book they can read or have read to them about life, death and dying, something to make them feel less alone. I fully agree with the sentiment and I needed to see how she was going to do it. Tiny Star did not disappoint it is truly beautiful. It is a book with class and heart. It is a book that can prompt a discussion, give a child hope when they may not see it otherwise it. Or it may make their adults feel better.
I want to make special note to the intelligence of the illustrations by Freya Blackwood. It is very clever in its geography. It is never specific. The characters could be from any suburban city. There is diversity among them. The continual item, a key to illustrative success is children's publishing, is lovely.
Mem Fox is a living legend in Australian children's publishing. While this is unlikely to reach the popularity heights or longevity of Possum Magic it is likely to maintain a place due to its subject matter and the charming work of Freya Blackwood.
October 20, 2019
A circle of life story beautifully written by Mem Fox - spare yet rhythmic text. The stunning illustrations by Freya Blackwood take it to another level. Was fortunate enough to attend a conversation with Mem and Freya at the State Library. Fabulous!
October 10, 2019
A very special picture book about the cycle of life - sure to win multiple awards and destined to be a perennial favourite!
April 6, 2022
“Once upon a time, / although this happens all the time, / a tiny star fell to earth /and turned into a baby!”/ Two people found the baby, took it home, and wrapped it in a blue quilt all covered in stars. It lived and it was loved by everyone. Then, after a life “lived to the full,” it returned to its home in the sky where it is “loving them from afar.” The words on the page are sparse and intentional, rhythmical and soothing, surrounded by a large white space which invites the reader to pause and absorb this deceptively simple circle-of-life story.
The illustrations are abundant and playful, layered with meaning and brought to life with color, details, and motion. A warm earth-tone palette contrasts with a bright splash of white on every page, directing the readers attention to a baby in a white sleepsuit, a toddler in a white smock, an adult in simple white dress, and finally a shining star in the sky. As the days pass, the neighborhood is transformed; old houses are restored, crumbling walls are repaired, and abandoned lots are replaced with gardens. People, animals and objects on the street are drawn with rough lines, they seem to move across the page. Stars shine and trees sway, neighbors work, play, and grow older together. The Tiny Star is a simple yet profound tale which reassures us that the love we experience in this time and space remains, even when the one we love “disappears altogether.” Soft as a lullaby, warm as a hug. Share with a group, a loved one, or yourself.
The illustrations are abundant and playful, layered with meaning and brought to life with color, details, and motion. A warm earth-tone palette contrasts with a bright splash of white on every page, directing the readers attention to a baby in a white sleepsuit, a toddler in a white smock, an adult in simple white dress, and finally a shining star in the sky. As the days pass, the neighborhood is transformed; old houses are restored, crumbling walls are repaired, and abandoned lots are replaced with gardens. People, animals and objects on the street are drawn with rough lines, they seem to move across the page. Stars shine and trees sway, neighbors work, play, and grow older together. The Tiny Star is a simple yet profound tale which reassures us that the love we experience in this time and space remains, even when the one we love “disappears altogether.” Soft as a lullaby, warm as a hug. Share with a group, a loved one, or yourself.
September 7, 2023
What a beautiful and symbolic story of a star that falls from the sky and becomes a baby that grows and grows. The “star” lives and loves to the fullest, until one day, it becomes smaller and smaller. Eventually the “star” is gone and everyone is sad and comforts one another. Soon they all realize that the star is once again shining down and watching them from afar. This such a lovely story to share with loved ones and it could especially shared when a loved one has passed. For 40 years Mem Fox has been writing brilliant stories and this is no exception.
November 13, 2022
I liked the illustrations quite a bit; the story wasn't what I was expecting.
August 21, 2024
This book tried to be profound but it was dumb and made me annoyed.
November 27, 2019
I would have given this book a five star rating except for the slightly odd disconnect between the title and the front cover and everything that follows.
The cover and title suggest to me a Christmas story. A modern retelling of the nativity story at the very least. And it is not that at all. Except it is about the wonder and miracle of a new life, and every day life after that and a long life, well-lived.
The Tiny Star is a circle of life story.
Fox takes us on a journey of a whole life - from birth to death. We see the everyday moments of life - first steps, first words, going to school, leaving home, work, marriage, children, grandchildren, illness and death. Fox shows us how to grieve for the ones we lose by remembering the happy times, by celebrating the life that was and by honouring all the little moments that make up a life.
She includes the idea of a star in the night sky watching over us to help young children come to terms with the death of someone they love.
It is gently done, with grace and kindness and hope.
The cover and title suggest to me a Christmas story. A modern retelling of the nativity story at the very least. And it is not that at all. Except it is about the wonder and miracle of a new life, and every day life after that and a long life, well-lived.
The Tiny Star is a circle of life story.
Fox takes us on a journey of a whole life - from birth to death. We see the everyday moments of life - first steps, first words, going to school, leaving home, work, marriage, children, grandchildren, illness and death. Fox shows us how to grieve for the ones we lose by remembering the happy times, by celebrating the life that was and by honouring all the little moments that make up a life.
She includes the idea of a star in the night sky watching over us to help young children come to terms with the death of someone they love.
It is gently done, with grace and kindness and hope.
May 20, 2022
A picture book definitely geared more toward adults than children. I found the book a little vague at first and while it has a sweet message, I haven't found it engages children very well.
January 12, 2024
From stardust to stardust, the narrative of a life is spun out in Australian author/illustrator team Mem Fox and Freya Blackwood's picture book, The Tiny Star. Falling to earth one night, a star takes the shape of a tiny baby, is adopted by loving parents, leads a full, long and loving life surrounded by relatives and friends, before passing away—back into stardom. Shining from the celestial heavens, the star gives comfort to the loved ones left behind...
When I first happened upon this book at my public library, I mistook it for a Christmas title for some reason. I'm trying to recall whether it had been mistakenly placed on the Christmas display—I think it had been, but couldn't swear to it. In any case, being on the hunt for new and new-to-me Christmas books, and being a devoted admirer of Freya Blackwood's artwork, I immediately snatched it up and brought it home. I was not all that dismayed to find it wasn't a Christmas story (Freya Blackwood, after all), and was intrigued by the idea of a star living out the life of a human. It brought back memories of my college astronomy class, and the time my professor informed we students that the old hippie belief in humanity being nothing but stardust was in fact scientifically sound, as every atom that goes to make up our world, and us, comes from massive stellar explosions in the cosmic prehistory of our area of the universe.
In any case, I certainly didn't approach this one with anything other than a pleasant expectation of enjoyment, given my fondness for the illustrator, and the fact that author Mem Fox is a titan in children's literature, both Australian and global. Unfortunately, despite all this, The Tiny Star was a miss for me. I found the narrative unconvincing, and even unmoving. Many other online reviewers apparently found it emotionally resonant, and quite poignant, and I can certainly see that this narrative of the seasons of life might evoke such feelings. For me however, I kept expecting there to be something more meaningful, some insight that a star living as a human would give us—something more than just the idea of a long life well-lived, and well-loved. I found myself thinking of Kurt Vonnegut's most unusual Nativity Story, Sun Moon Star , in which the creator of the universe finds himself in a baby's body, and must see the universe in a different way. Here there is none of that—no sense of how the star perceives the world and the cosmos, now that it has become flesh. I also found myself thinking of Marion Dane Bauer's magisterial The Stuff of Stars , in which the author constructs a story beginning with the birth of the universe and concluding with the birth of a baby made of stardust. There the link to stars is deeply meaningful, tying the infinitesimal smallness of a human to the great scope of the cosmos, but here it feels incidental. The human who comes from a star in this story is referred to as "it" throughout, constantly reminding the reader that "it" is a star in human shape, rather than a human (a person, not an object) made of stars. As if to emphasize the star-ness of this person, "it" returns to the heavens after death, leaving no mortal remains, and resuming its status as a star. It is a reversal of the idea of people being made from stardust, and in turn making other stardust creatures and objects, when their bodies return to their constituent elements.
Reactions will vary of course, and some will (and have) found this one meaningful, where I have not. That said, I was so repelled by this book, so unexpectedly put off by the narrative, that I might have given it a two-star rating, were it not for Blackwood's lovely illustrations, which depict a loving, diverse family. Her artwork is always worth the price of entry, so I'm not sorry to have read this one, but I don't really recommend it. Seek out the Bauer, if you are looking for a truly meaningful cosmological baby book, and the Vonnegut, if you want a story about the ties between divinity and humanity.
When I first happened upon this book at my public library, I mistook it for a Christmas title for some reason. I'm trying to recall whether it had been mistakenly placed on the Christmas display—I think it had been, but couldn't swear to it. In any case, being on the hunt for new and new-to-me Christmas books, and being a devoted admirer of Freya Blackwood's artwork, I immediately snatched it up and brought it home. I was not all that dismayed to find it wasn't a Christmas story (Freya Blackwood, after all), and was intrigued by the idea of a star living out the life of a human. It brought back memories of my college astronomy class, and the time my professor informed we students that the old hippie belief in humanity being nothing but stardust was in fact scientifically sound, as every atom that goes to make up our world, and us, comes from massive stellar explosions in the cosmic prehistory of our area of the universe.
In any case, I certainly didn't approach this one with anything other than a pleasant expectation of enjoyment, given my fondness for the illustrator, and the fact that author Mem Fox is a titan in children's literature, both Australian and global. Unfortunately, despite all this, The Tiny Star was a miss for me. I found the narrative unconvincing, and even unmoving. Many other online reviewers apparently found it emotionally resonant, and quite poignant, and I can certainly see that this narrative of the seasons of life might evoke such feelings. For me however, I kept expecting there to be something more meaningful, some insight that a star living as a human would give us—something more than just the idea of a long life well-lived, and well-loved. I found myself thinking of Kurt Vonnegut's most unusual Nativity Story, Sun Moon Star , in which the creator of the universe finds himself in a baby's body, and must see the universe in a different way. Here there is none of that—no sense of how the star perceives the world and the cosmos, now that it has become flesh. I also found myself thinking of Marion Dane Bauer's magisterial The Stuff of Stars , in which the author constructs a story beginning with the birth of the universe and concluding with the birth of a baby made of stardust. There the link to stars is deeply meaningful, tying the infinitesimal smallness of a human to the great scope of the cosmos, but here it feels incidental. The human who comes from a star in this story is referred to as "it" throughout, constantly reminding the reader that "it" is a star in human shape, rather than a human (a person, not an object) made of stars. As if to emphasize the star-ness of this person, "it" returns to the heavens after death, leaving no mortal remains, and resuming its status as a star. It is a reversal of the idea of people being made from stardust, and in turn making other stardust creatures and objects, when their bodies return to their constituent elements.
Reactions will vary of course, and some will (and have) found this one meaningful, where I have not. That said, I was so repelled by this book, so unexpectedly put off by the narrative, that I might have given it a two-star rating, were it not for Blackwood's lovely illustrations, which depict a loving, diverse family. Her artwork is always worth the price of entry, so I'm not sorry to have read this one, but I don't really recommend it. Seek out the Bauer, if you are looking for a truly meaningful cosmological baby book, and the Vonnegut, if you want a story about the ties between divinity and humanity.
January 9, 2022
A tenderly illustrated metaphor of a human life from birth to death. The person born at the beginning is a star that fell to earth. It returns to the heavens at death. In between the star/person is loving and is loved--all the way to the end of life.
The lovely illustrations clearly show the person as a female. I found it a little awkward that the text kept referring to the person as "it" although this was consistent with the first sentence: "...a tiny star fell to earth."
Tie-in:
-Language arts--metaphor.
-Bible/devotions--beliefs about the origin of life, life after death.
The lovely illustrations clearly show the person as a female. I found it a little awkward that the text kept referring to the person as "it" although this was consistent with the first sentence: "...a tiny star fell to earth."
Tie-in:
-Language arts--metaphor.
-Bible/devotions--beliefs about the origin of life, life after death.
October 15, 2023
Audio version read to my little cousin who passed away on Tuesday, as part of a way to enjoy our last few moments with her. I will cherish the memories of her, and I will cherish the moment the whole family gathered around her to listen to this story.
--
This story in particular made us all cry. Our little star has gone back up to the heavens and shines the brightest of all, but we can't help but wish she was back here with us. Life just isn't going to be the same. Rest in peace, sweet angel.
--
This story in particular made us all cry. Our little star has gone back up to the heavens and shines the brightest of all, but we can't help but wish she was back here with us. Life just isn't going to be the same. Rest in peace, sweet angel.
December 9, 2021
A thoughtful picture book about a tiny star that becomes a baby. The baby grows up and has a full life with friends and family, becomes small again with age, then vanishes, but is not forgotten. This will be a useful book for older readers when discussing death and grieving. Add this to a list about the circle of life that includes Bear Island by Matthew Cordell and I'll Meet You in Your Dreams by Jessica Young.
January 6, 2023
Not a big fan of any book for preschoolers that encourages them to believe that babies come from falling stars ( fully clothed even!) and their parents just happen upon them. ( This little star/baby just happened to land on a nice soft chair that was outside! Then, after they grow old, they just get smaller and smaller until they disappear! Nope!
P.S. All the stars given were for the lovely illustrations, not the story.
P.S. All the stars given were for the lovely illustrations, not the story.
November 23, 2025
I bought it because I had lost someone really close to me, and I wanted to see how much I related to the story. The story uses the metaphor of a star, dropping to our planet as a baby and eventually growing up, being loved and living a full life, till it one day must return to the heavens above. The star stayed in the sky, watching over everyone else. I definitely cried a little while reading this.
August 30, 2022
The illustrations are lovely, but the words just didn't hit home for me. I didn't like how the child/star was referred to as "it" the entire story--like it was an object rather than a person. And I wasn't totally clear if the book was saying the child was literally a star, or if the story is just a metaphor for the cycle of life. It just didn't hit home for me.
October 16, 2025
This book is soft and emotional but in a good way. The story is about the circle of life basically, but it is told in such a peaceful and beautiful way. The writing in the story feels quiet and comforting, and the art throughout the story matches that vibe perfectly. This is the kind of book that sticks with you and makes you stop and think about how life moves on, but love sticks around.
October 6, 2021
Sweet reflection on life, from a sweeping, whole of life, cycle of life perspective.
Not exactly an everyday type of book, seems more appropriate for big (life/death) moments.
Little too biblical for me at times, but the inclusive illustrations help to overlook this.
Not exactly an everyday type of book, seems more appropriate for big (life/death) moments.
Little too biblical for me at times, but the inclusive illustrations help to overlook this.
December 24, 2021
If you are struggling to discuss with your child the circle of life and start a conversation around life and death, this book is brilliant. It is soft and a brilliant introduction.
Well worth the purchase.
Well worth the purchase.
January 17, 2022
A gentle look at the cycle of life and death, and how it is reflected in the acts of love, nurturing, and caring and continues well beyond when a loved one returns to its beginning, and final resting place to provide an over watch of the ones left behind.
February 3, 2022
A tiny star comes to Earth in completely unique and lovely miracle.
Why I started this book: New books at the library today.
Why I finished it: Drat! This was charming and now I'm crying at work again.
Why I started this book: New books at the library today.
Why I finished it: Drat! This was charming and now I'm crying at work again.
October 15, 2022
Lovely book. I would have have given it 4 stars if the author would have referred to the main character as a she instead of an it. It just felt mechanical and unattached instead of warm and friendly, like a big grandma hug.
November 19, 2025
This book is very gentle but deep, tracing the star’s journey to earth, life, death, and back. In a classroom, you could use it to help kids talk about life cycles, loss, and how things change but also come back in different ways.
March 16, 2021
Highly recommend this book if a child has recently lost something they loved.
April 3, 2021
Beautifully written. Perfect.
Read
November 30, 2021A star turns into a person. Everyone loves it. It turns back into a star and watches over everyone in the night sky when it dies so people all know it's there for them..
December 3, 2021
What a beautiful book! Loved it!
Displaying 1 - 29 of 57 reviews